Solberg shock after Rally France

2011-10-03 07:49

HAGANEAU, France - Citroen driver Sebastien Ogier rekindled his bid for a first World championship title by winning the Rally of France on Sunday while former champion Petter Solberg was controversially disqualified.

Overnight leader Ogier finished six seconds ahead of Spaniard Dani Sordo in a Mini Cooper with Norway's Solberg third but more than a minute off the pace, in his privateer Citroen. Solberg, the 2003 World champion, was later disqualified when his car was found to be four kilos too light.

HIRVONEN GOES THIRD

Team manager Ken Rees said: "We don't understand. We weighed the car many times. It is a catastrophe for Petter and our team because we have already had problems with a budget to finish the season.”

The decision promoted Ford Focus driver Mikko Hirvonen to third in the race standings and he now has 196 points in the championship standings, the same as leader Sebastien Loeb with two races left - Spain and Britain.

27-year-old Ogier claimed his seventh rally victory and is three points behind Loeb and Hirvonen. "It was a very long weekend with a lot of pressure," Ogier said before Solberg's disqualification.

"Dani and Petter made life difficult for me, it was hard to take the rally lead and hold it. I feel relieved and happy to have managed this race well without taking too many risks."

He added: "It's a very good feeling. It was difficult at the end because there was a lot of pressure after the problem for Seb (Loeb). It's very important for the championship but now I must do two good rallies."

Loeb, chasing an eighth World title, was forced out of this 11th leg of the 13-rally season when his Citroen’s engine packed up.

FIRST HOME WIN

Ogier, who comes from Gap in southern France, won 10 special stages and gained a bonus point for finishing third in the event-closing Power Stage which was won by Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala.

It was his first win on home soil and his fifth this season after Portugal, Jordan, Greece and Germany. Ogier also won in Portugal and Japan in 2010 on his way to fourth place in the overall World championship series.

Mini is back competing in the world Rally championship after a lengthy absence.

"Two rallies on tarmac and two podiums is amazing and feels like a victory," Sordo, Loeb's former Citroen team mate, who has finished on the podium 30 times, told WRC.com.

"It’s an incredible result, very nice and in the end I am very happy."

New standings after Sunday's final day of the Rally of France and the disqualification of Petter Solberg

Comments

BusyB - 2011-10-03 09:50

I think Loeb will still win the championship.Nice one Mini.Wish we can have more manufacturers in the championship.

Suckerz - 2011-10-03 10:19

Somebody explain the controversy here? His car was light, and was DQ'ed as per regulations. I am sure the team did not do that on purpose and I am a fan of Solberg but this is not harsh when rules are broken.